Always
by Reaghan981
Summary: It's BACK!
1. Heat wave

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter or anything to do with it. If I did, do you really think I would be here? :)

Author's Note: So...This is my very first Draco/Harry fanfiction. I have had a few people requesting I write one for years, and I have finally decided to try my hand at it. As always, reviews are welcomed and appreciated. Both the good and the bad. This will be rated M, simply because my stories seem to have a ton of cursing, death, and other depressing things. I hope all of you enjoy this and much as I'm enjoying writing it.

The leaves crunched beneath the feet of the students as they walked to and from the lake. It was un-naturally hot for this time of year. The sun beat down on them so relentlessly that many of them hand begun to disrobe in hopes of relieving the heat. It did not work, however. Sweat still poured off of them in torrents. It was miserable. The trees of the forest and those that were sat throughout the grounds had turned brown and were already shedding their leaves.

Draco Malfoy slipped his robe off of his shoulders and loosened his tie. He looked up at the puffy, white clouds floating happily across the sky and sneered. It had not rained in months it seemed, and it honestly had not. Two months of no rain and extreme heat had everyone's tempers a bit shorter. Steel grey eyes scanned the grounds. The female population had taken it upon themselves to act as if they were on a summer holiday on an exotic island. Even the palest person, which would be him if he were honest with himself, held a healthy glow to their skin.

The castle was just as beautiful as it had always been, but even the dark halls could not grant them a reprieve from the stifling temperature. The fortress was hotter than standing in the direct sun. A light breeze blew today, which they were thankful for. Many of their classes had been held on the grounds instead of the classrooms.

"Are you coming, Malfoy?"

Draco turned to the dark skinned boy behind him and nodded. He picked up his discarded robe and tie before following his fellow Slytherin towards the castle. Without speaking, both boys knew that they were heading for the Great Hall. It was not full as it normally would have been. Many of their peers had taken to eating out on the grounds instead of crowding their house tables. They took their seats and placed their chosen meal onto their plates, eating in silence for the most part.

Laughter reached his ears and he looked to the large entrance, his eyes narrowing before rolling in annoyance. Harry Potter stood there, allowing the youngest Weasley child to slide from his back, laughing at something that he could not hear. The younger redhead planted a chaste kiss on the lips of the boy hero before grabbing his hand and dragging him towards their seats.

Draco stabbed his food viciously before putting it to his mouth. It never failed to annoy him. Granted, just seeing the boy-who-lived annoyed him, but the fact that he was so happy and carefree made his mood plummet to an all time low. He stabbed another bite of food and growled.

"What did that chicken ever do to you?"

His steel eyes flashed to the boy beside him briefly, "That is none of your bloody business, Zabini."

"Perhaps you're right, but if you don't stop staring at Potter it will become everyone's business."

Draco sent him another glare, but redirected his eyes. Blaise was right and he knew it. Ever since the Dark Lord had been defeated it had been like that. It did not matter if it was a casual glance, or one of his glares, if you were caught looking at the Gryffindor the rumor mill kicked into high gear. He took a sip of his pumpkin juice and stood, leaving the questions behind him and acknowledging no one.

He walked through the deserted corridors, looking at the many chunks that were still missing from the stone and sighed. The war had been rough for everyone. It did not discriminate between blood or social status. It did not matter if you fought beside Potter or if you fought with the Death Eater's, everyone lost someone. The older students had lost their childhood. Some of them more than that.

Draco sighed and took the familiar route to the Astronomy tower. He could not explain why he found himself there when he needed to be alone. This place was were he fell from grace on more than one level. He walked towards the railing and placed his hands on the smooth metal, and took in the grounds. They were still beautiful even in the middle of the worst draught in history. Dozens of students dotted the grounds and he could vaguely hear the sounds of laughter echoing from them. He wished he could be like them, so much that it hurt at times. He was a Malfoy, however, and that would never happen. His father was imprisoned for crimes against humanity and would never be released. His mother and himself were under house arrest, the one exception for him was school.

He sat down and let his long legs hang over the edge, his head resting on his folded arms. He let the silence seep into his mind as he closed his eyes. This was the only place he was ever at peace and, sometimes, he even felt like Albus Dumbledore was still there with him. He could still hear him telling him that he was not a killer, could hear him offering his help and his protection. He wanted to take it, but he never had the chance. Many of his peers still looked at him with hate filled eyes and made comments about what happened on this tower, but none of them knew the truth. None of them knew that he would have given anything to take back what he had made possible.

"Still up here pouting, I see."

Draco turned his head, rolled his eyes, and looked back out over the grounds. "I'm not pouting."

"Yes, yes you are."

"What do you want, Trine?"

"Blaise told me that you took off in the middle of dinner. I thought I would come and check on you. You've been up here for hours."

He sighed in defeat and moved over to give her room to sit beside him. He would never tell her this, but he was glad she cared enough to come and check on him. He looked at her when a contented sigh escaped her lips. Reaghan Trine was one of the prettier girls in Hogwarts. Her hair stopped just past her shoulders in golden waves and her eyes were the color of sapphires. She was petite, slender, and her skin had a healthy tone to it. She turned to him and smiled as he continued to stare.

"See something you like, Draco?"

Draco snorted.

"Didn't think so. You may have the rest of the school convinced of your straight status, but I'm not just anyone. It is a pity, though."

"What are you going on about?"

"About you being gay, Malfoy. Don't try and deny it, either. Just because my hair is blonde doesn't mean that I'm an idiot."

"I am not.."

Reaghan glanced at him in disbelief and he wisely shut his mouth. They had been friends forever and she knew things about him before he did, not to mention her temper was legend. She even put Weasley to shame. They sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. This was another reason he did not mind her coming to find him when he came here. She did not feel the need to fill the silence with senseless chatter.

They sat together long after the sun had crept behind the horizon. He looked at her briefly before he stood and stuck his hand out. She smiled at him as she took his hand and pulled herself up. Neither dropped the others hand. There was no need. Reaghan was the only comfort he had had in the months after Voldemort was defeated and she was the one true friend he had ever had. He did not care who saw them walking through the halls hand in hand. The Slytherins were so use to it that they barely ever acknowledged it anymore.

"So, do you want to tell me what made you slink off to the tower today?"

"Needed to be alone is all."

"Potter it is then."

"My entire life does not revolve around Harry bloody Potter."

"If you say so."

"It doesn't."

"Alright, your life doesn't revolve around Potter."

"Thank you."

"But every time you go up there he is involved."

"Bloody hell, Reaghan!"

"Alright, alright. I'll leave it for now."

Draco glared at the back of her head as they reached the portrait hole and she walked through it. The common room was almost completely empty and Draco took his favorite seat. The black, leather couch that was in front of the fire place. Luckily, the fire was not lit. The only light was made by the candles throughout the room. Reaghan walked across the room, said something to Blaise, and then came back towards Draco.

"I'm going to bed, Draco. Try not to stay up to late. We do have classes tomorrow." She dropped a kiss on his head, "Goodnight."

"What are you my mother?" He said to her back, smiling.

"Nope. If I were Narcissa, I would have killed you already."

"Goodnight." He chuckled.

Reaghan waved as she disappeared up the staircase. Draco shook his head and sat in silence for a few moments before following her. When he entered the dorm, the other boys were changing and crawling into bed. He followed suit and crawled under his green duvet. He turned away from the rest of the room and closed his eyes, praying silently that the nightmares stayed away for just tonight.


	2. Snapped

Disclaimer:I do not own Harry Potter or anything to do with it.

Author's Note: I'm moving kinda fast with this one, aren't I? I hope you enjoy both of these chapters. The third will be out soon but, I thought as a treat, I would give you two chapters in one day. Enjoy! And please remember to review. They make me Happy!

"The goblin wars of the twelfth century would go down in history as one of the most brutal wars ever fought in our world. Wizard's, witch's and goblin's alike lost many lives, leaving our world..."

A blonde head made sharp contact with the edge of the table it was sitting at. Someone stifled a laugh bringing steel grey to meet sapphire blue in a glare. His tablemate simply smiled, picked up a quill and began to write. Draco never did understand how Reaghan paid such close attention in this class. Binns was more boring that watching the grass grow. A piece of parchment was shoved under his nose and he looked down at it before rolling his eyes.

_Bit boring, isn't he?_

_A bit is the understatement of the century._

_Watch this._

Draco looked up at the same time that a crumbled piece of parchment went sailing across the room and through Professor Binns head. He had to place his head back down to keep from laughing out loud. He heard an annoyed, disapproving sound come from somewhere behind him. Both he and Reaghan turned and looked straight at the female part of the Golden Trio. Her face was flushed and she seemed to be insulted for the ghost at the front of the room. Potter and Weasley were looking anywhere but in front of them, and Reaghan simply smiled at the girl before turning back towards the front and picking up her wand.

Draco watched in amusement as a piece of chalk start writing random things on the board and more and more students came out of their bored stupor. When the chalk finally fell back to it's place and he read the last line, he could no longer hold back his laughter. There for all the world to see was written:

_Granger-0_

_Trine-1_

_Take that, you walking encyclopedia. I win!_

The bell rang and Draco followed Reaghan out of the classroom, his laughter still making itself known in small bursts of hilarity. They made their way to lunch, talking and laughing at different things. Many of the students looked at the duo like they had lost their minds, but there was no doubt that the episode in Binns classroom would eventually make its rounds. They sat at the Slytherin table and greeted Blaise before pilling food on their plates and beginning to eat. It seemed that the extreme heat had passed, for now at least, and the entire school was enjoying it.

"How was History of Magic? I have to endure it next, and I want to know how well I'll be sleeping."

"Well, if the chalkboard is left alone you probably won't be sleeping."

"Why?"

"Reaghan decided to relieve the boredom."

"What did you do?" Blaise asked turning to the girl and sighing in exasperation.

"Nothing," Reaghan shrugged, " I spelled the chalk to write some random stuff on the board is all."

"And she threw a ball of parchment through Binns' head."

Blaise stared in disbelief for a moment before he burst into laughter. Reaghan just smiled and took a drink from her cup. The girl was wicked smart, sly, and ambitious but sometimes she did not take the credit that was due. They left quickly when the bell signaled their next class and they made their way to the potions classroom. Slughorn was not an idiot by any means, but the loss of Professor Snape hung in the air for most of the Slytherins. The man was the best teacher in the school by far in their opinion.

The class ended quickly, which left Draco and Reaghan with the rest of the day to do as they pleased. They were always together now. The war had changed many things, but the friendship between the two Slytherins was not one of them. If it did anything, it drew them closer together. They made their way outside to their favorite spot on the grounds, a willow tree on the edge of the Black Lake, and sat down. Their bags had been shrugged off along with their robes. Their ties went next.

Reaghan leaned her back against the tree and stared across the lake, allowing Draco to place his head into her lap. Her small hands ran through his soft, blonde locks causing him to relax and sigh. She chuckled but did not stop her ministrations. She glanced at him every so often. It was a bit unnerving. Draco could tell that she wanted to say something, but gave her the time to work out her thoughts.

"How's your mom, Dragon?"

He allowed a small smile to cross his face at the nickname, "She's well. She hates sitting in that house all day. It brings back memories."

"I can imagine. When will you be let off house arrest?"

"Three more months."

They lapsed back into silence. Reaghan did not like thinking about how he and his mother were sentenced. It was unfair in her eyes. Then again, she was kept away from the war for the most part. Her parents were the only reason he was spared from Azkaban, with a little help from the hero himself. He stared into the sky. The sun's rays tickled the water of the lake making it glitter in it's warmth. He closed his eyes and relaxed. it was not often when he was allowed to show who he really was. He was an ass, there was no doubt about that, but he was not a horrible person like everyone thought he was. Reaghan, his parents, and Blaise were the only ones who were privileged enough to see his caring side.

He felt Reaghan tense under him and his eyes squinted together in confusion. It cleared a second later, however.

"Granger, Potter, Weasley," Reaghan said, "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"I've went to Professor McGonagall and told her what you did to Professor Binns today. She would like to see you."

Reaghan's hand tightened in Draco's hair and he sat up, allowing Reaghan to square off with the trio. "You just can't stand for someone to have a bit of fun, can you?"

"You disrupted other's learning. It was rude and disrespectful."

"You're the only person I disrupted. Potter and Weasley were even laughing. Maybe if you took the wand out of your ass, you could laugh every once in a while. You act as if I wrote 'All Hail Voldemort' on the board."

"Watch it, Trine." Weasley said, stepping up beside Granger.

"You watch it, Weasley. Unlike everyone else around here, I don't bow down to the Chosen One and his two lap dogs. I'll go and see McGonagall, but I would watch my back if I were you, Granger."

Reaghan stormed off, leaving Draco alone in the company of three Gryffindor's. He nodded to them, picked up his and Reaghan's things, and left them standing there. It was over an hour before he saw Reaghan again, and he pitied Granger the next time she ran into the blonde. You could practically see the steam coming from her ears in her rage. She was mumbling to herself, and that was never a good sign.

"Rea, just let it go."

"That old hag gave me detention for two weeks!"

"What?"

"Yeah. I apparently also wrote vulgar language on the board. That bloody twat is so going to get it."

"You didn't write anything vulgar."

"Don't you think I bloody fucking know that!"

Draco sat back in his chair and went right back to writing his charms essay. There was no talking to her when she was like this. He heard her stomp up the stairs and the door to her dorm slam shut before he released the breath he was holding. He sat his books down and left the common room after that. He knew where he was going. The Astronomy tower was calling his name. He walked slowly. He had plenty of time before curfew to make it there.

He walked through the door and up the stairs, positioning himself the same way he had the day before and looked up at the stars. It was like nothing could touch him up here. He sat in silence for countless minutes before he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He did not even turn. He was certain he knew who it was.

"I'll go back to the common room in a bit."

"I can't tell you how happy that makes me, Malfoy."

Draco jumped up and turned to face the boy behind him. He glared into emerald green eyes and felt his body stiffen. He was positive that this was going to end badly. With that thought, he moved away from the railing of the tower and leaned against a wall casually.

"I'm not going to push you off the tower."

"I'm suppose to believe that?"

"No, I suppose not. What are you doing up here?"

"That is none of your bloody business, Potter."

He watched as Potter shrugged, placed a cloak on the ground, and sat. He did not know what to do. He knew that they would end up fighting, and the fact that they were on the tower would probably end up in death. He knew that he should leave, but could not bring himself to move. He did not want to be there. Finally, after a few tense minutes, Draco's body decided to cooperate with him and he began to move towards the door.

"You don't have to leave."

Draco snorted, "Why would I stay here with you?"

"Just shut up and sit, Malfoy."

If you asked him a week from now what possessed him to do what Harry Potter told him too, he would deny it with ever part of himself. If he were honest, however, the look on his face made him do it. Harry Potter looked like hell. There were bags under those startling green eyes, his face was pale but flushed lightly across his cheeks, and he appeared to have lost a bit of weight. It was unnerving and it made his heart give an unfamiliar twinge. He walked to where he had been previously and sat. You could cut the tension with a knife, it was so thick. Maybe it was just him. Potter looked completely relaxed.

Draco took in the sight before him. The man was beautiful, anyone with eyes could see that. With his thick, untamable black locks, emerald green eyes, and quidditch toned body; he could not name one person that did not find him attractive. His eyes traveled up his rivals body and met green eyes. He turned away quickly.

"What are you looking at?"

"You look like hell, Potter. It's like a train wreck. It's horrible and you want to turn away, but you just can't."

"You aren't so perfect yourself."

"What is the savior of the wizarding world doing on top of the Astronomy tower with his school rival and ex-Death Eater?"

Harry shrugged, "I come up here sometimes to clear my head. As for you being here with me, I haven't figured that out yet."

"We hate each other, Potter. There isn..."

"I don't hate you."

"What?"

"I don't hate you, Malfoy. I haven't since sixth year. I still don't like you, but I don't hate you."

Silence enveloped them again. The night was warm but comfortable and the stars glittered in the dark sky. The light of the moon bathed the tower in its light, and Draco relaxed. If Potter was not going to be his normal vile self, then Draco would show just as much maturity. If he was honest with himself, he did not hate Potter anymore, either. He had freed him from the Dark Lord, after all.

"What did McGonagall do to your friend?"

"Hmm?"

"What did McGonagall do to Trine?"

"She has detention for two weeks."

"Oh."

"You had better tell Granger to watch her back. Reaghan was furious when she got back to the Common Room."

"Hermione was right. She shouldn't have thrown that paper at Binns."

"That isn't even way she got two weeks of detention. Granger told McGonagall that she was writing vulgar comments on the board."

"But she didn.."

"I know she didn't and so does she. Just tell your friend to watch her back. Reaghan isn't the person you want to piss off."

Potter nodded to him, leaned his head against the stone wall, and closed his eyes. The sigh that escaped his lips was exhausted. Draco wanted to ask why he appeared to not have slept in a long while, but kept is mouth shut and simply allowed his thoughts to wander. He was far more comfortable here with him than he should have been, but he knew the other boy would not harm him. They were not in public and it was not expected. That was way they had been at each other's throats all these years. He was Draco Malfoy, all around bastard, an ex-Death Eater, and Prince of Slytherin. He was Harry Potter, slayer of the Dark Lord, Gryffindor Golden boy, and defender of good. It just was not meant to be. They were not allowed to be friends. They were expected to hate each other, and they made good on that expectation.

He could not tell you how long he sat there in silence, just letting Potter sleep. Finally, he stood and walked towards Potter. The boy was sleeping peacefully, his face bathed in the moonlight. His chest rose and fell evenly, and he appeared to not have slept in years. Draco sighed, squatted beside him, and shook his shoulder.

"Potter, wake up."

"G'way"

"You have been sleeping on the floor for hours, " Draco shook him harder this time, "Get up."

"Mmm."

He sighed in frustration, placed both hands on the other mans shoulders, and gave him a firm shake, "Potter!"

Many things happened at once. The Gryffindor's eyes shot open and he knocked Draco to the ground. One hand was around his pale throat while the other held his wand at Draco's temple. His breathing was erratic and his heart was thumping swiftly under his chest. A growl escaped him and his eyes had turned hard.

Draco's body was shaking. the look in Potter's eyes frightened him. The tip of his wand was beginning to light up. He did not want to know what spell was going through the Gryffindor's mind. There was so much rage and hate filling those memorizing eyes that Draco could guess.

"Potter, let me..." He started quietly, like he was talking to a caged animal.

"You're not going anywhere, Tom."

Draco's eyes widened, and his fear grew ten fold, "Potter, please."

"I'm going to finish this, once and for all."

"Potter, you don't want to do this. Please, let me up, please." Draco was terrified. His sight was becoming blurred with tears and his body shook harder.

"You don't have a bloody clue what I want, Tom. It's time to say goodbye."

"No, please, " Draco pleaded. The tip of the wand was beginning to light green, "Please, No. Let me go. Stop! You don't know what you're doing."

"Time to die, Tom."

"Harry, please." Draco whispered. His eyes fell shut as he waited. This was it.

He could still hear heavy breathing above him. He could feel the tip of the wand at his temple and he was certain that it was coming at any moment. He felt the hand on his throat loosen and the wand slowly being moved from his temple, but he did not move. Tears still leaked from his closed eyes.

"Malfoy?" Draco opened his eyes and looked into green orbs. They were clear once again, "Oh, Gods. I'm sorry."

Potter sat back against the wall and Draco sat up slowly. Horrified realization crossed Potter's features as Draco sat up and scooted across the floor. His eyes never left Potter as he wiped the tears from his face. The boy-who-lived placed his head in his hands and took slow, even breaths. Draco was still shaking and the last remnants of fear rocked through his brain.

"You called me Tom." Draco told him quietly.

Emerald eyes looked into steel grey. There were tears clinging to thick lashes, "I what?"

"You called me Tom. What were you dreaming of?"

"Voldemort."

Draco cringed involuntarily, "Yes, I thought so."

He stood to leave and walked to the door before he turned back to Potter. The boy was crying silently and his heart contracted. It was obvious that the hero was in pain, that he needed help, but Draco was not the person to do that. He pulled the door open and went to step through it.

"I am sorry, Draco."

It was whispered, as if it was not intended for him to hear. He continued down the steps and towards his common room. Even though the Gryffindor would expect it, Draco did not plan on telling anyone about what had happened that night on the tower. It was nothing to be mocked. Well, he would tell Reaghan, but she would not say anything.

As he crawled into bed that night, Draco felt a new respect for his long time rival. Not that he would ever know that. When sleep finally took him that night, he dreamt of glittering tear filled green eyes looking brokenly back at him.


	3. Weakness

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter or anything about it.

Author's Note: Chapter Three, chapter three. What is there to say about chapter three? I had no intention of it turning out this sad. After the first paragraph, it just kinda came out. I hope you guys like it. Please, review. I would really appreciate it.

Shadows had long since fallen over the halls and grounds of Hogwarts, allowing a few brave souls to walk amongst the darkness undetected. The wind blew gently, causing the trees to sway in a beautiful dance and the waters on the Black Lake to ripple and shine in the moonlight. A lone figure walked through the shadows, keeping his features concealed from any onlookers who may pass by him. His footsteps were quite and unrushed, but the thoughts hidden in his head were the opposite. They flew through his mind, never slowing enough for him to latch on to any one in particular.

He found the stairs that he had been looking for and ascended them, pushing open the door. He stepped into the moonlight, allowing the peaceful glow to cast itself on him. His platinum hair glowed ethereally and his eyes bleached themselves until the were the exact replica of the rays that the moon cast on the earth. He sighed and let his eyes fall closed as the breeze ghosted over his face, peace seeping into his heart and mind. The letter clutched in his hand fell to the cold stone floor as a tear slipped down his cheek. He looked to the heavens again and allowed more to fall uncheck down his face.

His father had always told him that crying was a weakness that no Malfoy could afford to show, but none of that mattered now. His father was gone. He could not see him cry, he could not shower him with gifts; he could do nothing but lay in the cold earth. His mother had sent him the letter, informing him that his father had taken his own life. That they were alone and he was now the patriarch of the Malfoy line.

At eighteen, Draco Malfoy had seen and been a part of some horrible things, but none of them hurt as much as loosing his father. He knew that no one would care that Lucius Malfoy had died, unless it was for celebratory reasons. No one would care that he, Draco Malfoy, had lost his father. They would only care that yet another Death Eater had met the end he deserved.

He slid down the stone wall that was supporting him, brought his knees to his chin, and laid his head against them. His breath coming out in harsh, unrelenting sobs that shook his entire body. His hands clutched his white blonde hair and pulled, the pain keeping him grounded, keeping him from losing himself in grief that threatened to swallow him whole. None of his peers, with the exception of very few, knew Lucius Malfoy as a man who was capable of love but he had loved his son. He had loved his wife and had done what he could to protect them, to supply them with a better life.

He was so consumed with his grief that he missed the set of footsteps coming up the stairs. He missed their approach and their whispered, concerned questions. He did not care who found him here, or if anyone did. Draco started when someone laid a small, warm hand on his shoulder. Grey eyes looked into the worried sapphire of his best friend, the only person in the entire school that would care that he was hurting. She sat beside him, kissed his forehead, and pulled him too her. He clutched at her, the one rock he had left, and cried harder than he had ever cried in his life. Reaghan rocked him gently to and fro, petting his hair and whispering words of comfort in his ear.

Finally, the tears stopped flowing and his breath quieted down, evening out. Reaghan sighed in relief. He was asleep. She did not try to wake him or push him away, she simply continued to hold him. After a few long minutes of staring off into space, her eyes found the crumpled piece of parchment that he had dropped on the floor. Without a second thought, the blonde girl transfigured a rock into a mattress and another into a blanket. She laid him onto it and kissed his head before standing, walking to the opposite side of the room, and picking up the discarded letter. Her eyes flew across the page, tearing up with each word she took in.

Reaghan glanced at the sleeping form of her friend, folded the parchment, and placed it in her jean pocket before she walked to the railing and looked out over the grounds. She knew why Draco loved coming here so much. When he was here, he felt like the world could not touch him, like everyone was at peace with one another. Being this close to the heavens, how could you not feel that way? Cracking her neck, she went back to the bed and sat herself on the edge. Her hands ran themselves through white blonde hair and she sighed.

"I know you're there, Potter."

She heard nothing for the length of a heart beat, and then the flutter of cloth hitting the ground found her ears. She did not turn from the boy on the bed. She could not spare a moment of her attention for the boy-who-lived. She knew that he would come within her line of sight eventually, and she did not have to wait long before he stepped up beside the bed.

"How did you know I was there?"

"You can only ignore the feeling of someone staring at you for so long, visible or not."

"Is he alright?"

"He will be," Reaghan said, finally looking into green eyes, "I must ask you not to breathe a word of this to anyone. He has to deal with this alone and without anyone prying. The last thing he needs is false I'm sorrys."

"Not a word. I promise."

"Thank you."

"What's wrong with him?"

Reaghan looked at him levelly, weighing the options in her mind and the concern in those emerald orbs, "His father killed himself."

With that, she turned back to focus on Draco. She knew she could not allow him to sleep much longer. They needed to return to their dorms, but she hated to wake him. She watched Harry through her lashes for a few moments. She could not see any mockery or happiness in those green depths, and she wondered why. He had hated Lucius more than most of the world, and yet he looked truly sorry for Draco's lose. That boy confused her.

"I'll have to wake him soon, and it would be best if he never knew you were here."

She gave him a small reassuring smile as he nodded and picked up his cloak, disappearing in the next second. His footsteps grew distant and she ran her hand through her hair when she and Draco were alone ran her hand through his hair, and watched him sleep for only a second longer, before she started to speak.

"You have to wake up now, Dragon. We have to go to the dorms."

Draco groaned, wiped his eyes and blinked a couple of times before squinting in her direction, "Reaghan?"

"Yeah, it's me."

His voice was scratchy and he cleared his throat, "How long have we been here?"

"I've been here for almost two hours, but I'm not sure about you. I don't know how long you were here before I showed up."

Draco nodded and stood. His back was stiff as he walked towards the railing, allowing his hand to rest of the cool metal. The light of the moon still cast a glow on the earth, but clouds had started to creep across the sky. He sighed and turned to face Reaghan. Her face was guarded and her body was tense. He looked at her questioningly.

"Are you alright, Draco?"

"I'm fine." His body tensed and a blank mask fell over his face. Reaghan reached into her back pocket, revealing the crumpled parchment that he had dropped.

"Would you like to tell me the truth this time?"

"You've already stuck your nose in where it doesn't belong. I shouldn't have to tell you anything."

"Give it a rest, Draco. That whole cold and uncaring bullshit doesn't work with me. I know what happened to your father."

"What the bloody hell do you care? He was just a Death Eater, right? He deserved what he got."

"He was your father, you prat!" She snapped, taking two threatening steps towards him, "I'm not every other person in this school. I know you loved your father, and I know he loved you, so do us both a favor and stop being a complete and total ass!"

Reaghan slammed the parchment onto his chest before storming off. He watched her go. He felt guilty as soon as the words left his mouth, but he could not take them back. Not when it came to her. The damage had been done as soon as he finished his sentence, and the only thing he could do now was let her cool off. He folded the letter, transfigured the blanket and mattress back into rocks, and turned to leave.

The walk was lonely, and it made him even more aware of the pain he was experiencing. He kept to the shadows the entire way there, same as when he made his way up to the tower. He did not want to be seen. He knew the pain was obvious in his eyes, and he did not want to show weakness. He said the password and entered the Common Room. He looked around and his eyes fell on Reaghan and Blaise sitting across the room.

He saw her back tense before she stood and faced him. Crystal tears hung on her eyelashes. She stared at him for a moment, and he took a step towards her. Before he could open his mouth to apologize, she turned and walked quickly up the stairs. He sighed and made to follow her.

"How could you do that to her? Her, of all people?"

"Not now, Zabini."

"If not now, then when? She was trying to help you, Malfoy!"

"I bloody well know that!"

"I'm sure you have made your father very proud."

Draco was speechless as he watch Blaise make his way up the steps towards the dorms. After a few minutes, he took a deep breath and followed him. There was no doubt in his mind that it was going to be a long night. He had things to think about, decisions to make, and an apology to perfect. The only question in his mind as sleep took him was whether or not Reaghan would allow him close enough to apologize or not.


	4. I know your secret

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter or anything to do with it. I write these simply for fun.

Author's Note: I know Draco has been the main focus of this story, and that is how it will stay, but in order to get a good understanding of what is happening to Draco and Harry I will have to alternate between the two. Harry will be dealing with a few things as well, and I like for people to have a good understanding of both of these young men. I hope you all like it. As always, Reviews are welcomed and appreciated.

Harry Potter sat watching the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall. The thoughts in his mind as dark as the clouds depicted on the ceiling and as depressing as the rain that fell from them. After so many long days without the rain, it was a welcomed change. He just wished that the weather would not reflect his moods as accurately as it was at present. Rolling his emerald eyes at the thoughts he had, Harry redirected his eyes to the other tables sat around the hall. The other students were laughing and praising the rain that had finally found its way to them, all of them but one.

He watched curiously as Draco Malfoy sat at his house table. He looked as if he had not slept in days. His clothes and hair were impeccable as always, but his eyes were storm cloud grey with darkening circles appearing beneath them. The events of a couple days ago found their way into his thought process and he felt sympathy clinch his heart in a vice grip. He would be the first to admit that he did not expect to feel that emotion towards the blonde, but he did.

Harry had never known his parents, and their absence was constantly felt by him. He could not imagine having grown up with them there and then losing them, particularly not by their own hand. Draco raised his head and their eyes connected momentarily. His eyes narrowed into a glare, but there was not as much malice in them as he was accustomed too. Harry simply nodded politely and turned away, his eyes staying glued to the blonde across the room. He smirked as surprise stole over those aristocratic features.

"Good morning, Harry. Sleep well?"

Harry looked up and smiled, "Yeah, I did. How about you, 'Mione?"

"Very well, thank you."

He watched her take the seat beside Ron and kiss his cheek quickly. He scowled at the annoyance he felt towards his two friends before turning the expression on his face back into a small smile. Ron and Hermione had been together officially since right after the war. It was about to in his opinion, but for some reason when he saw them together it annoyed him beyond reason.

His eyes went back to the Slytherin table, pursuing that familiar head of white blonde hair. He had vanished. Harry sighed and stared bemusedly at the place where he had been sitting. This was getting ridiculous.

"Potter," Harry turned, "A word, if you don't mind."

He glanced at Ron and Hermione quickly before he grabbed his things, gave a smile and followed. It was not everyday that a Slytherin came to the Gryffindor table and asked for a chat. Particularly not this Slytherin. They stopped in a deserted corridor and the girl turned to face him, her eyes cold and distant. He had a distinct feeling that he was going to be blamed for something...or killed, whichever came first.

"I need you to look after Malfoy."

His eyebrows shot into his hair line in his shock, "I'm sorry?"

"I didn't stutter, Potter. I need you to look after Malfoy."

"Why can't you look after the prat?"

The girl smirked at him, "Because the prat and I aren't on speaking terms."

"Why? What happ..."

"What happened is irrelevant. I know you don't hate him, you may not like him, but you don't hate him. I saw the concern you had for him the other night."

"His father had just..."

"Watch what you say, Potter! Just do as I ask. Please." Reaghan Trine looked like she had just swallowed something vile.

"What makes you think that Malfoy would want me anywhere near him, Trine? He hates me."

"I think you may be surprised."

"Huh?"

"Eloquent as ever, I see."

"Piss off!" Harry turned to leave.

"He leaves for the Astronomy Tower every night at 9 p.m. sharp. He arrives around 9:15"

"Why do I give a damn when..."

She was gone. Harry glared down the corridor for a moment. He turned on his heel and made his way back towards the Transfiguration classroom. It was no wonder that Trine and Malfoy were friends. They were equally annoying, but he also had a feeling that of the two of them Trine was the one he should worry about pissing off. If he were to worry over something like that, that is.

Harry found his seat quickly, sat his books out, and waited as the rest of the class filed in and found their seats. It was not like the girl to speak to Gryffindor's. Granted, she was tolerated, even well liked, by most of the school population. She could be helpful, friendly and kind. Although, cruel, sarcastic, and sly were her main attributes. He heard the flutter of clothe and the thump of a bag being sat in the floor beside him, but did not turn to look. He assumed that it was either Ron or Hermione that took the seat beside him. As usual, his assumption was wrong.

The person beside him cleared their throat and Harry turned to see what they wanted. A scowl found its way to his face and he growled in annoyance. Of course, it would be him. Reaghan's order echoed through his mind briefly before he turned back to the blonde beside him. A blank mask concealed any emotion that he may have had towards Harry, and he raised an eyebrow in question. When he spoke, Malfoy's voice was quiet.

"I saw Reaghan speaking with you in the corridor."

"Your point, Malfoy?"

"What did she want?"

Harry considered telling him the truth, but quickly changed his mind, "She was being her normal self. Tried to start a fight."

Draco sighed tiredly and pinched the bridge of his perfectly straight and pointed nose, "You're a horrible liar, Potter."

Harry watched him turn towards the front in silent surprise. So, even Malfoy knew when he was lying. He could not tell you why he felt a stab of guilt for wanting to betray the girls confidence, nor could he tell you why it had formed itself into a case a full blown guilt when he had lied to Malfoy, but he had. This sudden empathy for all things Slytherin was starting to cause him a bigger headache than he would have liked.

As he packed his things in his bag at the end of class, he felt the stare of his tablemate. He was currently in the process of ignoring the blonde pain in his ass in hopes that he would leave him in peace. He straightened up and groaned, throwing his bag over his shoulder and stalking towards the exit. Stalking had apparently become Malfoy's forte, however. Every turn that Harry made, Draco made also. Finally, deciding that he might as well get the confrontation over with, Harry turned to face the Slytherin. His emerald green eyes hard and guarded, his face tinged red in his annoyance, and his fists clenched tightly by his side.

"What the bloody hell do you want, Malfoy?"

The blonde stopped suddenly, his face formed in silent shock momentarily before his eyes hardened and his back straightened, "I already told you. I want to know what Reaghan said to you in the corridor."

"What business is it of yours?"

"She would not talk to a Gryffindor unless she deemed it an important reason, and there are very few things she places in that category."

"Go ask her what she wanted, then."

"I would if she would speak to me, Potter. As it is, she is not."

"Well, if you wouldn't be such a great prat she might."

Harry turned and stalked off again, but not before noticing Malfoy's eyes deem in distress. There was no way that he was turning around again. Not going to happen. Nope. He had not even reached the end of the corridor before he turned back towards the blonde and made his way to his side. He sighed in exasperation before he placed his hand around Malfoy's wrist and jerked. The blonde followed him instantly.

This was the last thing that he wanted to do, but the look of utter hopelessness on Draco's face had caused Harry's hero complex to kick into high gear. At least, that was what he was telling himself. They walked in complete silence, passing astounded students every other floor or so. By the time they had reached their destination, Harry's mood was at an all time low. He dropped his bag roughly on the stone floor and walked to the railing. He took a moment to simply feel the wind whip through his hair and relax him before turning to the blonde behind him.

"She was talking about you." Harry told him, and the eyes that met his were scared for a moment.

"What would she have to say to you about me, Potter? She knows we hate each other."

"I've already told you that I don't hate you, and she knows it as well."

"Whatever, it still doesn't explain why she would approach you about me."

"She wanted me to look after you."

Draco snorted, "What the bloody hell for?"

"Because she's worried for you, Malfoy. Why she thought I was the best person to come to over this is beyond me."

"Well, you're relieved of the inconvenience, Potter. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, I can see that. You hardly eat, you haven't slept in days, and you've isolated yourself. You can certainly take care of yourself."

Draco bristled and took a step towards the hero, "What do you know?"

"I know that your father killed himself." Harry dead panned.

Draco took in a sharp breath through his teeth, and Harry watched him. Greif, pain, denial, wariness, and anger all flashed across a pale pointed face. Harry knew he should not have told Draco this. All it was bound to do was cause a massive fight, but he felt for the young man before him. He understood what it was like growing up without a father, and he honestly wanted to help. Not that he thought Malfoy would let him.

"Don't talk about my father." Draco's voice was soft and deadly. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Unbelievable as it may seem, Malfoy, I am sorry for your loss."

"Shut up, Potter!"

"I don't think so."

"What do you care? He was just a Death Eater to you."

"Yes, but he was your father, and a loss like that deserves some recognition. Not to mention, you're a bloody awful mess."

"Look who's talking! You have nightmares that cause you to try and kill people! You don't sleep, and, as much as you have everyone else fooled, I know your slowly losing your mind."

"I'm aware of that."

"Oh, don't deny...What?"

"I said I know that, Malfoy. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Harry walked as calmly as he could from the tower and down the stairs, but as soon as he hit the corridor he ran. He ran from the fact that Malfoy knew something that not even his closest friends had noticed, and he ran from the truth of the statement that both he and Malfoy made. He was losing his mind, but there was something more. Something that he did not want anyone finding out about, much less the blonde he had left stunned in the Astronomy Tower.


	5. Us? Friends?

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter or anything to do with it.

Author's Note: Okay, here's the deal. Within the next few chapter's Draco and Harry will be thrown together quite a bit. This chapter again will be about Harry, but the following one will be about Draco. I hope I'm not confusing you. Please review, I really enjoy getting feedback. Thanks!

The sun was sinking slow behind the horizon, casting the sky in the pale pink's and gold's of the sunset. The giant squid sat in the middle of the Black Lake, it's tentacles splashing water as it tried to catch various creatures swimming by it. A gentle breeze blew through messy black hair, and the boy-who-lived sighed. His hand swiped across his face in frustration and he fell back onto the cooling earth. He had missed the rest of his classes the talk, if that is what you wanted to call it, that he had with Malfoy. Until he had been confronted about it, he had not realized that he was in fact losing his mind. At least, he felt that he was.

Ever since the war had ended, he could feel this presence in his mind. It was dark, cold, and foreboding. Harry had never felt anything like it. At first, he had thought that the Horcrux that Voldemort had unwilling placed inside him had not been destroyed after all. Now, he was more than certain that it had been. This was something else. Something all together more frightening, more evil. He could not explain how he knew that, or why he felt that way, but he knew something was coming. That something was coming directly from him. He found himself thinking of things that he knew he should not. Despicable things. He was almost certain that if Voldemort were still alive, he would cringe at their cruelty.

The nightmares he was having had turned from memories of the war and Voldemort, to him doing horrible things to his friends. A particularly horrible one floated back to him and he shivered. The worst part about it was that they honestly did not repulse him as much as they should. At times, thinking of Hermione bleeding and broken before him sent a thrill through him that he could not explain.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with me?"

He knew that no one was around to answer him, and that had they been they would have no clue what he was talking about. That would have given most people a sense of relief, but all it brought Harry was an overwhelming loneliness. He sat up slowly and cast on final look at the sunset before he stood and shouldered his bag once again. He did not, under and circumstances, want to return to Gryffindor Common Room at the moment. Sadly, the only other place where he could find refuge was the exact place that Malfoy would wind up in a couple of hours. Sighing, and knowing he was going there before he took his first step, Harry made his was to the castle.

He walked slowly. There was no reason for him to get in a hurry, after all. The castle and all it's wonders were sketched into his mind so vividly that he had no need to pay attention to where he was. It was automatic now. He could focus on his thoughts and simply walk in the peace and quiet. He moved up the stairs leading to the main part of the Astronomy Tower. Once inside, he walked to the railing and looked straight at the ground.

There were times when he wished he could just jump from his current spot, and fly far away from here. From the expectations, the memories, the deaths that this castle held and had seen. From everything that he had seen since he set foot in the Wizarding World. He placed both hands on the top part of the railing and both of his feet on the one closest to the ground. It would be so easy to just fall, to let all of it go, to destroy himself and whatever evil he now held within him. He felt the darkness in him flare in protest, felt in slide into his mind and force his thoughts to those of murder and torture.

Harry let a startled yell escape him as he flung himself from the railing in a ill attempt to escape it, to make it disappear. He failed. It worked its way through his thoughts and he could feel it penetrating his heart, turning it slightly colder with it's attack. He did not know what was happening to him anymore. Everyone had said that he would be free once he had destroyed Voldemort, but he felt more trapped than he ever did while that monster roamed the planet.

"Potter?"

His green eyes opened slightly and met with the cool grey of the last person he wanted to see. He clamped his eyes shut against the constricting feeling in his chest and tried to breathe as calmly as he could. He could hear the hesitant footsteps approaching him from across the tower, then the soft heat of a body standing beside him, and finally the warmth of a hand being placed slowly on his back. A blinding white light flashed behind his eyes and he could breathe again.

He took in great gulps of air at first, tears stinging his eyes with the strain. He could hear the light tenor of Malfoy's voice weaving its way into his mind and soothing the muddle thoughts, and finally he felt like Harry again.

"Drink this."

A pale hand found its way into Harry's line of sight, a glass of water between long, elegant fingers. He took it and drank greedily. Malfoy refilled the glass a few times before Harry sipped at the last. The blonde stepped away from him and sunk to the floor in obvious exhaustion. He did not know what to say at first. He was actually stunned by the kindness that he had just been shown, but knew that it required a statement of some kind.

"Thank you."

"Don't tell anyone I did that."

"Of course not. Who would ever believe me anyway?"

The blonde gave a short laugh and a smirk before they lapsed into silence. Harry wished he could say that it was uncomfortable, the silence, but he would be lying. It was nice to sit with someone and not have to talk about everything that had happened. Hermione always wanted him to talk about what he was thinking and how he was coping, Ron avoided any and all things involving the war and the losses, and the rest of the school was just to damn happy.

"I'm sorry about your father, Malfoy, really."

"You don't have to lie, Potter. No one is sorry that he's gone."

"You are."

Draco tried to glare at him, but Harry noticed that after a second it disappear altogether. He watched the blonde sigh and nod, accepting his condolences and his explanation. Harry looked up at the sky and smiled. The stars were shining like a million if small diamonds, and the moon was full. It's pale rays reaching do to the earth in hope.

"Are you alright now?"

"Hmm?"

"When I came in you looked like you were in pain."

"Oh, that. Yeah, I'm alright."

Draco chuckled, "I never thought I would be sitting here having a civil conversation with you."

Harry smiled at the irony, "Me either."

"Do you ever get tired of it?"

"Of what?" Harry looked at the blonde curiously. Draco turned his head away from Harry quickly, which caused the Gryffindor's eyebrow to move together in confusion.

"Of all the fighting, all the hate. Do you ever get tired of living up to expectations?"

Harry laughed darkly, "More than you'll ever know."

Draco looked at him oddly, but accepted the statement as it was. The silence enveloped them again, and neither boy wanted to interrupt it. It was too peaceful, too comfortable. There was not any way to keep track of the time as the boys sat together on the cool stone floor. All Harry was certain of was that it was after nine fifteen, which meant they were both out past curfew.

As the moon rose higher in the sky, Harry's thoughts took an odd turn. What if they did not live by expectations any longer? What if they let sleeping dogs lie and tried to put the past behind them? Become friends, even? He chuckled, and his laugh brought the blonde out of his own examination of the sky.

"What are you laughing, Potter?"

"I just had an insane idea."

"Oh, do tell." Draco looked at him sarcastically.

"What if we told those expectations to piss off?"

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, Malfoy. I know you aren't stupid. What if we let bygones be bygones?"

"Us? Be friends?"

"Well, try to be, yeah."

"You're mental!"

"I thought we already established that?"

Draco laughed and nodded before turning serious again, "No one will allow that to happen, Potter. We both know that."

"I think we may be surprised." Draco raised an eyebrow, "Do you really think Trine would have asked me to look after you if she thought we couldn't at least be civil?"

"Reaghan would be one of the few that accepted a friendship between us, and that would only be because that would mean she could be friendly with you too."

"Power hungry Slytherins."

"Reckless, mental Gryffindors."

"I'm serious, Malfoy," Harry said standing and extending his hand out to the blonde, "Let's let the past stay where it belongs, behind us."

Draco considered him a moment, long enough for Harry to fidget, "Alright," Draco said standing and taking his hand, "Let's leave the past behind us."

"One condition." Harry said, a mischievous glint entering his eye.

"Oh, bloody hell, What?"

"You have to call me Harry."

"In public?" Draco asked, fake horror lacing his voice.

"Yes, in public."

"Well if I have too."

They smiled at each other and moved towards the stair way that lead to the corridor below them. Neither boy spoke, each to engrossed in their thoughts. They could not believe that they had just agreed to try and be friends. In front of the entire school no less. When they reached the seventh floor corridor, Harry turned to Draco and the blonde stopped.

"I'll see you tomorrow. G'night, Draco."

"Goodnight, Harry.


	6. Calm before the Storm

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter or anything to do with it.

Author's Note: Well, here we go again. Another chapter. When I first started to write this story, I was nervous. I thought I would have a ton of problems developing any kind of relationship between Harry and Draco, and remain true to their character's. I know they are OC in some respects, but I hope that it is close enough to their character's that they are still themselves. Thanks to Helly and MafoyMaladyoftheDark for the reviews. I really appreciate it. Thanks to all of you who are reading this as well. Please review and keep reading!

"Malfoy?"

"We've already tried that. Do you honestly think I would have sent for you if that worked?"

"Sod off, Blaise!"

"I'm just saying."

"Well don't!"

Reaghan Trine looked worriedly down at her long time friend. His white blonde hair clung to his forehead due to the cold sweat that had over taken him in the night, tears leaked from his eyes in either pain or terror, his breathing was labored, and every so often he would release a gut wrenching scream that filled the dorm. She pushed the damp hair away from his face and sat gently on the bed. She had been trying to wake him for more than half an hour, and it was starting to frighten her.

Another scream was pulled from his chest and the blonde sobbed, his body jerking away from the mattress in a silent struggle. Reaghan placed both hands on his face as the first of her tears made its track down her pale cheek. She felt helpless. There was obviously something terrible going on in Draco's mind, and she could find nothing to help.

Leaning close to his ear, her voice rough with restrained tears, "Draco, please, wake up. You're scaring me, Dragon."

His body was still, but his eyes were still leaking tears and his breathing was still labored. Laying beside him, she placed her head in the crook of his neck and cried. She had known that nightmares plagued her friend during the night, but she had no idea that they had gotten this bad. Her arm slithered around his waist and she simply held to him, hoping that her presence would register in his mind and allow him to know that he was safe.

A sharp gasp was the only warning she was given before Draco shot up and scrambled away from her, depositing her firmly on the floor. He looked around frantically, his eyes clouded for a moment before finally clearing and focusing on the terrified blonde on the floor.

"Reaghan?"

"Oh, thank Merlin!"

"What..." Draco cleared his throat, "What are you doing here? What's going on?"

"You were screaming, mate. When I couldn't wake you, I sent for Reaghan."

"Screaming? I wasn't screaming."

"Yes, you were. What were you dreaming of, Dragon?"

Draco looked up at her in confusion. The dream he had that night was not coming to him, but the fear in those sapphire eyes told him that it must have been bad. He shook his head in helplessness for a moment before it registered why he was so shocked to see her at his bed side. His eyes formed into a glare, and Reaghan released a sigh that was reserved to her fate. There was no doubt in his mind that she knew the exact moment that he had turned from Draco to Malfoy, and she had resigned herself to it.

"What the bloody hell do you care, Trine?"

"Must we really do this, Draco?" His glared hardened and, after another sigh, her back straightened, "I'm so very sorry, Malfoy, that I forgot what a prat you could be. It will not happen again."

When she turned from him and prepared to stalk off, Draco sighed, "Reaghan, wait."

"What do you want, Malfoy?"

"I'm sorry."

He watched her eyes narrow in suspicion for a moment, before they cleared and a small smile tugged at her mouth. She rolled her eyes, chuckled, and hugged him. Relief settled into his heart as her arms squeezed him briefly. It had been almost a week since he had insulted her after she had tried to comfort him, and he had never felt more lonely. He gave her a smile when she left him to get ready for the day, and went about his daily routine.

"I was walking down the corridor, I had just got out of Charms, and Peeves swooped in and dropped a dung bomb right on Filch! It was the greatest thing I had ever seen."

Draco laughed at the childlike enthusiasm in Reaghan's eyes, shaking his head and taking a drink of his pumpkin juice. The girl detested Filch above anyone else that she had ever met. So, seeing the man covered in a dung bomb was probably the highlight of her Hogwarts career. He looked about the hall when she directed her attention at Blaise, who was fighting with her again. Their arguments vaguely reminded him of Weasley and Granger's. His eyes crept down the Gryffindor table until they found the head of messy black hair he had been looking for. Oddly, today was the only day that he had not had a class with Potter..no, Harry, in a little more than six years. The boy-who-lived looked around curiously for a moment before his emerald eyes locked onto Draco's. Harry smiled and nodded before turning back to his previous conversation. Draco allowed a small smile to slip across his face. He had to admit that it was far more relaxing since the truce between the two was called.

"Draco?"

"Hmm?" He looked at Reaghan briefly, noticing her look between himself and his Gryffindor counterpart.

"Potter giving you trouble?"

"No."

"Alright..."

It was very rare that anything left the tenacious girl speechless, but apparently Harry and himself had become a cause for thought. She continued to glance between them for the rest of dinner, and Draco became increasingly tired of being looked at like a Potions experiment gone wrong. When they stood to leave, Draco took her hand and lead them towards the astronomy tower. He knew that he would have to tell Reaghan, or the girl would follow him in order to figure out what had changed.

They sat beside each other, Reaghan still lost in her own thoughts and Draco trying to think of a way to tell her what had transpired between Harry and himself. He raised an eyebrow when his companion stood and began to pace. There was no telling what she had concocted in that head of hers, and he probably did not want to know. He watched her open and close her mouth, considering whatever it was that she had to say and doing an admiral impression of a fish out of water, for a moment before he took pity on her.

"You want to know what's going on between myself and Harry?"

"Harry? Since when do you call our resident hero Harry?"

"Sit down, Reaghan, and I'll explain everything."

The story he told her of the happenings between them was not long, or even interesting, but Reaghan listened and posed questions that he could not avoid answering. Reaghan had always been observant, overly so if you asked him, but her knack for observing things that other's did not kept them out of trouble. Silence fell between them for a while, and Draco knew that the girl sat beside him was looking at this truce from every angle. He could not blame her for being leery about it, but she was a Slytherin and had horrible trust issues.

"So, you are positive that Potter has no ulterior motive?"

"Yes, Reaghan, I'm positive. Potter is far to much of a Gryffindor to even consider something like that. It's against everything he knows."

"We shall see."

"No, oh, no. I know what you're thinking and it's not going to happen."

"Why, Draco, I have no idea what you're going on about."

"Yes, you do. It's not going to happen, so stop thinking about it."

"It would help everyone else accept..."

"Draco? Are you up here?"

He looked at the girl beside and, noticing the smug smirk across her face, groaned. She wanted Harry to come to the Slytherin dorm and interact with everyone. Granted, it was his friends only but it was still horrible. Blaise and Reaghan would interrogate him, subtly of course, and if they did not like the answers...well, he did not want to think about that. Sadly, there was no way out of this.

"Yeah, I'm here."

Draco felt Reaghan lean against the wall beside them casually, and they both waited. It felt like forever. Finally, Harry Potter entered the room and stripped of his invisibility cloak. The soft light of the sunset ghosted over him and Draco's mouth went dry. He was beautiful in the soft pink and gold that was being cast across the sky. He glanced at Reaghan and wanted to bang his head against the stone wall. That blasted girl had noticed his thoughts, which meant there would be more questions than before. Perfect.

"Hello, Trine. Fancy seeing you here."

"Potter. I was just keeping Draco here company."

"More like prisoner."

Reaghan smiled and pushed herself off the wall, "I'll see you later, Draco, Potter."

Harry and Draco watched her leave, one with amusement and the other in shock. The blonde could not believe that she would just leave them there together and alone. Her curiosity was insatiable when she did not quite understand something. He looked at Harry and noticed the small smile that sat on his lips. He found this amusing. Well, if he knew what he was going to be suffering tthrough in a few weeks then maybe he would not look so bloody calm and happy.

"She's a strange one."

"She's a conniving one, actually. You barely escaped with your sanity."

"Planning on torturing me again already, Draco? I thought things were going so well."

"We've been on good terms for less than twenty four hours, and no. I'm not planning on torturing you. She is, however, if you don't answer her questions the way she wants you to answer."

"Questions?"

"Reaghan is obnoxiously protective over me. She wants to bring you to the dorms and talk to you."

"Me in Slytherin?"

"That's what she expects. She doesn't believe you could put seven years of animosity behind you without an ulterior motive."

"Is that what she thinks or what you think?"

Draco thought for several minutes over the question. Did he believe that Harry could let go of seven years of bad blood in one night? No, he did not. Does he believe that he extended his hand in friendship for some narfarious reason? No! He is Harry Potter, after all, and a Gryffindor on top of that. There was no way that he could devise a plan like this to get something from Draco. Well, Granger could but what could they even want from him? Most of the Deah Eater's have been killed or imprisoned, his father being one of them. He was under house arrest himself, so even if he could have gotten information on the whereabouts of the rouge Death Eater's there is no way that they would tell him what he wanted to know. They no longer trusted the Malfoy name.

"It's what she thinks. Do I believe that you have simply let go of seven years of bad blood between us? No. Do I think that you genuinely wish to try? Yes. Do I think you have an ulterior motive? No."

"Well, now that that is cleared up, I have something to tell you."

"I swear if you're about to tell me that you and your band of merry men devised some sick plan to find out..."

"Calm down, it's nothing like that. Could you see Ron staying calm enough to form a plan against you?"

"He has calmed down considerably since the war."

"That's true, but his temper is still just as explosive as ever," Harry turned his cheek, revealing a developing bruise, "Trust me."

"He hit you?" Harry nodded, "Why?"

"Because of this." he told Draco, his hand pointing to himself and back to Harry, "Because I am trying to become friends with you. Well, and a few other things but that is unimportant."

"That's completely mental!"

"You have no idea. Hermione doesn't care, as long as I am careful, but Ron...Ron would rather push you off of this tower than sit and talk with you about anything."

"Look, Potter, if this is going to cause me more problems than I already deal with in this school then you can forget it."

"I don't understand what the big deal is about us trying to act like adults."

"I told you. I told you that they would not stand for it."

"Does Reaghan have a problem with it?"

"No, she just wants to make sure you're being truthful."

"Hermione doesn't have a problem with it either, actually, she's encouraging it. So, there are two people on our side."

"As loud as Weasley is, the entire school will be in a uproar by morning."

"Too right, but we never were trying to keep this a secret. I don't really care what anyone else thinks myself."

"I don't either, but I'll be the one getting attacked."

"Is all you ever care about is your own skin? I'm not going to allow someone to attack you without cause, and trying to develop a friendship is not a cause."

"Oh, please! You're not going to curse your own friends to protect me. I'm not an idiot, Potter."

"If cursing them means keeping you safe, then yes I will. I'm tired of the fighting and it's time that it stops."


	7. Potter Going Postal

**Author's Note**: So, I know I said I was done writting this but my mind was changed. Let's just say I found a new muse. :) I hope you enjoy it. I promise the next one will be longer. Read and Review!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter or anything about it. I write these for fun. No infringement intended.

* * *

><p>The darkness was surrounding him again. It had not escaped him that he had been spending a lot of time in the shadows, hiding from one thing or another. It was the Slytherin way. One hid from their problems instead of facing them head on. It fit them. If he were to become reckless he would more resemble Harry Potter. For the hundredth time in less than ten minutes he found himself wanting to crack his head mercilessly against the stone wall of the alcove that he had been in for the past few hours. It was now well past midnight and he knew that Reaghan would be worried about him but he couldn't bring himself to walk into the snake pit just yet.<p>

Finally, as the sun rose over the horizon, Draco made his way to his dorm with a course of action firmly set into his mind. He would avoid Harry Potter come hell or high water. There was no sense in the hero risking his friendship with the youngest Weasley for a classmate that not only tormented him for the better part of eight years but also fought on the side of his greatest enemy. The same classmate that caused Bill Weasley to be permanently scarred and Albus Dumbledore to be killed. Draco shivered as the memories coursed through his mind, slowly consuming him like a poison. His heart began to pound and he grabbed hold of the corner of his bed, his new school shirt gripped tightly in the hand he placed over his heart.

When he regain some semblance of control, he strolled to his bedside table and pulled out the calming draught that the nurse had given him. Most days he refused to take it, but on days like this it took everything he had not to down the whole bottle. This would not be the last dose he took today. When his hair and clothes were perfected, he grabbed his satchel and headed to the common room to meet Reaghan. When he saw her, he was unsurprised by the way she was standing or the look on her face. He had known that she would be damn near furious when he didn't come back last night and she was if her flushed cheeks were any indication. He took the final few steps and stopped before her.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, where the _hell_ have you been?" She hissed. The room around them fell quiet and they all silently watched the deadliest snake in the nest rear her head.

"Walking the castle." Draco told her calmly.

Her eyes narrowed and her fists balled by her sides, "You're lying to me."

"Reaghan, I really don't want to talk about it."

"Well, perhaps you should have thought about that before you disappeared all bloody night!" She snapped.

"You're not my mother and I'm of age. I don't have to report to you every time I want to take a piss."

"Fine, then when the entire school finds out that you're becoming friends with Harry bloody Potter, don't come to me with your problems," Draco's mouth fell open and Reaghan glanced around with a malicious glint in her eye, "Oops, guess they just did."

He watched in stunned silence as the blonde strolled casually out of the common room. It took only a few seconds for the snakes to come to life and Draco didn't stick around to see what they were capable of doing after that information had slipped out. He was cautious the rest of the day and it was tiresome. Not only was he avoiding Harry Potter, now he was also avoiding Reaghan and her temper and his house mates. The school had been quiet, so far.

Dinner was when everything turned on it's head. Apparently, none of the snakes had talked during classes but when Draco entered the hall, he knew that word had spread. The place where they all took their meals when is complete disarray and standing in the middle of the chaos was not only Harry but Ronald Weasley as well. The red-heads face was the color of a tomato and his fists were clenched by his side, warning everyone who saw him that the infamous Weasley temper was soon to make an appearance, but the shacking part of the scene was the raven haired hero stood across from him. His eyes were brilliant in their anger, his cheeks dusted a light pink, and his mouth arranged into a sneer that put Lucius Malfoy to shame. Draco could see the darkness rolling of the boy it was so thick. What had happened to Harry Potter?

He made his was slowly towards the middle of the crowd, taking care not to jostle the mulling, restless horde. He didn't want to draw attention to himself if he could help it. He caught sight of Reaghan on the other side of the circle, her straight, whit teeth worrying her bottom lip due to nerves. She looked guilty even to the untrained eye and remorseful. It was obvious that even she hadn't expected this kind of reaction from the student body. The blonde girl glanced at the teachers trying to push their way through the crowd and then back at the unfolding scene. Now, Draco had been on the receiving end of Potter's temper for nearly a decade and he knew it wouldn't be long before wands were drawn.

He was right. It seemed like Harry had not even flinched. There was no tell tale swish of his cloak or physical movement to warn weasley or the crowd around them that the defeater of the Dark Lord had just drawn the wand that had caused said destruction. it was fluid, graceful. Almost like it was ingrained into him to have the wand in his hand at all times. Weasley drew his own and Draco silently prayed that a teacher reached the two men before spells were thrown. It did not happen.

Ronald Weasley, best friend of Harry Potter, cast the first curse and even though it was not violent or life threatening everyone took a collective breathe as Harry dodged it and smirked. There was a malicious glint to his hard emerald eyes that he had only seen once in eight years. The night that Draco had found him having an attack or episode of some kind. The night he actually noticed the dark swell of what could only be described as evil that ebbed and flowed around the hero. Harry's wand slashed through the air, the curse barely catching Weasleys left arm. Blood spurted out in a small arch and Weasley screeched in outrage. Draco recognized that curse. He knew it well. His hand rubbed absently at his chest where the curse had struck him.

The duel continued for some time. Each of the men hitting their targets, Harry more accurately that Ron, and it was escalating to violence. Draco called out in shock and fear before the blue curse incased the youngest Weasley brother squarely on the chest, ripping a scream from his throat and a demented laugh from the green eyed boy across from his victim. Draco could no longer call the two boys friends. He had just witnessed the boy who lived cast an unforgivable at someone who was suppose to be his best friend. Something was seriously wrong with Harry Potter.

He collapsed after a few seconds and Ron lay twitching on the ground, unconscious with a little blood trickling out of his nose. No one took a breath. No one moved. Then, as if someone pushed play on a remote, all the teachers sprung into action, students were crying and shrieking, and the red and black heads of Potter and Weasley bobbed out of the Great Hall. In their wake, they left confusion, pain, and fear that surpassed even that of Voldemort. Hogwarts was now terrified of their star pupil and crown jewel. Not one person voiced what Draco wanted to know most. What the bloody hell was going on with Harry Potter? And since when would he cast an unforgivable, much less curse his best friend?


End file.
